Timberwolves Stand Tall, Defeat Grizzlies 90-89

Both teams started the season with a 0-0 record and when they faced each other on opening night, the Memphis Grizzlies and Minnesota Timberwolves had reason for optimism. Since losing opening night in Memphis, the Timberwolves have faced a series of injuries and unfortunate events week by week. At 9-40, the Wolves are looking at the forthcoming All-Star Weekend as a time to recharge their collective battery.

At 37-12, the Grizzlies may want to hold off on the All-Star break, as they have been red hot since hitting a midseason bump in the road in late December, early January. Since January 11th, Memphis has won 12 of 13 games they have played.

The teams met again on Friday night in the Target Center and here is a look at the action.

Since covering last Friday’s massacre in Philadelphia, the Wolves got their Unicorn back and the team has been remarkably more appealing to watch. Minnesota opened up Friday night with Ricky Rubio, Kevin Martin, Andrew Wiggins, Thad Young, and Nikola Pekovic. The Grizzlies countered with Mike Conley, Courtney Lee, Jeff Green, Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol.

Both teams got off to a slow start on the offensive end, which probably could have been predicted the way the Grizzlies typically slow the pace down. The Wolves also lost Pekovic early to two fouls. However, Gorgui Dieng filled in admirably throughout the first quarter. Coming out of the first timeout of the game, the Wolves went to Andrew Wiggins often and he continued to come through scoring the next four baskets for Minnesota and giving his team a 14-10 advantage. One other note from the start of the game – Ricky Rubio assisted on each of the team’s first five baskets. Have I mentioned it is nice to have Ricky back yet?

Would you like another example of the benefit of having Rubio on the floor? With 30 seconds left in the quarter, Mo Williams launched a 24 foot jumper in order to set the Wolves up for a 2-for-1. It missed badly. After a steal on the defensive end, the Wolves had a chance to play for the last shot. Williams pulled the ball out of what seemed like a potential bucket in transition, launched a 25 foot jumper as time expired and missed everything. The score at the end of the 1st quarter was 24-23, Minnesota’s advantage.

With Pekovic back on the floor and Anthony Bennett at the Power Forward spot, the Timberwolves came out of the chute nicely in the 2nd quarter, at one point building a ten point lead, 37-27. The highlight of the run came on a loose ball scramble where Wiggins tracked down the ball and whipped a pass to Bennett for a dunk.

All good things come to an end this season. That ten point lead quickly evaporated with the Grizzlies going on a 10-0 run of their own. During the run the Wolves committed three turnovers and missed badly from the floor. At the half, the teams were tied at 43.

Here are a few additional halftime notes/stats:

The Timberwolves scored on only three of their final fifteen possessions of the half

Wiggins led the Wolves with 11 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists in 21 minutes of action … rookie wall will have to wait until after the All-Star break apparently

In his 9 minutes on the floor, Zach Randolph didn’t take a single shot and was scoreless in the half

The Timberwolves opened up the second half on a 10-3 run which was capped off with a Rubio three pointer from the top of the arc. In the midst of the run however, Pekovic picked up his fourth foul and would be forced into very limited action for the remainder of the evening. Once again, the Grizzlies came storming back to take a 58-57 lead, forcing Flip Saunders to burn another timeout.

With Ricky Rubio still on a minute limitation, Flip had to turn to Mo Williams again for PG duties, who promptly turned the ball over two times in a row trying to feed the post. This led to the following:

At the end of the 3rd quarter, the Grizzlies held a 69-65 lead. The Timberwolves offensive execution in the final minutes was fragile at best, highlighted by the final possession of the quarter that saw Mo Williams dribble at halfcourt for too long, feed a terrible pass to Kevin Martin right on the three point arc, and then seeing Martin launch an off-balance jump shot that clanged off of the rim.

Early in the 4th quarter the Wolves got another scare. With a 77-73 lead, Thad Young threw a pass in the open court to Rubio who connected on a layup. Ricky was fouled on the play but a whistle never blew, despite him crashing into the padding under the baseline. Almost immediately, Ricky ran to the locker room but was back on the floor in under five minutes. (Collective “Phew …”)

With Rubio’s return, something seemed to happen with the Wolves on the court. It may have been confidence, it may have been his calmness. Whatever it was, it worked. After a few minutes of back and forth basketball, the Wolves found themselves down 85-78 with a little over two minutes to play.

Pekovic and Jeff Green traded jumpers, followed by a Rubio three pointer. After Courtney Lee and Wiggins traded two made free throws, Rubio hit another three pointer to cut the Grizzlies lead to one point, 89-88. On the Grizzlies next possession, the Wolves forced a turnover led by … you guessed it, Ricky Rubio. Inexplicably, Zach Randolph fouled Rubio to put him on the line for two shots. Ricky hit both to give the Wolves a one point lead, 90-89. With a swarming defensive set, filled with solid rotations and a total team effort, the Wolves forced one final turnover to hold onto the victory.

The final score: Minnesota 90, Memphis 89 – the first back-to-back victories for our Pups this season!

Game Notes:

All five starters for the Wolves in double figures, led by Wiggins’ 18 points and 6 rebounds, Rubio’s 17/5/5/3 line, and Thad’s 14 points and 8 rebounds

The Grizzlies were only 2-12 from three point range tonight

Despite his 10 rebounds, Zach Randolph only scored 6 points and was a game low -10 in +/-

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